


Enemy of My Enemy

by idrilhadhafang



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Aftermath of Torture, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Complicated Relationships, Enemy Mine - Freeform, Fix-It, Kylo Ren Redemption, M/M, Slow Burn, Worst Intergalactic Road Trip Ever
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-11
Updated: 2020-07-14
Packaged: 2021-03-05 00:53:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,346
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25195741
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/idrilhadhafang/pseuds/idrilhadhafang
Summary: Together, the Resistance and the First Order make a promise to defeat Palpatine.
Relationships: Poe Dameron/Kylo Ren
Comments: 2
Kudos: 2
Collections: The Darkpilot Library, The Totally Awesome Darkpilot Prompt Meme





	1. Alliance

**Author's Note:**

  * For [oldestcharm](https://archiveofourown.org/users/oldestcharm/gifts).
  * In response to a prompt by [oldestcharm](https://archiveofourown.org/users/oldestcharm/pseuds/oldestcharm) in the [darkpilot_prompt_meme](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/darkpilot_prompt_meme) collection. 



> **Prompt:**
> 
> No one wants Palpatine back, so the First Order and the Resistance have to work together to prevent it. They can think about the feud with each other later, but its... still kind of awkward.
> 
> Disclaimer: I own nothing. 
> 
> Author’s Notes: Sorry it took so long, oldestcharm.

If Kylo Ren hadn’t inexplicably told the Resistance that Palpatine had returned and he wanted a temporary truce with the Resistance...well, Poe wouldn’t be heading to the _Steadfast_. 

Poe was good at hiding his emotions, but it didn’t mean that he was completely immune from feeling them. He knew that much. Even as the _Falcon_ pulled out of hyperspace, he couldn’t help but wonder: what was he going to say to the man who all but nearly destroyed his mind? What could he say, actually?

He could snark. Demand answers. Maybe demanding answers was more like it. How did Palpatine come back in the first place, when he’d fallen down a reactor shaft and then been blown up? Why did Kylo hurt so many people, kill so many people, the hurting including Poe? How could Ben Solo possibly be Kylo Ren? 

There was a lot wrong with this idea. Too much wrong. 

”You don’t have to do this.” Rey. Probably one of those rare times when she showed sympathy towards Poe. “Facing the man who hurt you...”

”I’m Resistance Leader. I need to.” Poe took a deep breath. “I have a promise to keep to Leia.”

Rey nodded. 

A voice crackled over the communications system. Hugs’. Poe suppressed a groan. “The _Millennium Falcon_. Interesting that we meet in a place of neutrality this time.”

”Interesting that you aren’t ranting about destroying the Republic and wiping our filth from the galaxy this time, Hugs.”

Rey and Finn exchanged looks. Poe couldn’t help but feel a twinge of pride that apparently they found his nickname for Hux funny. 

”Dameron.” Hux growled. “And here I thought I could actually get rid of you. It seems even when we’re allies, you’re a thorn in my side.”

”What can I say? It’s what I do,” Poe said lightly. “Pilot, Resistance soldier, protector of the galaxy...thorn in the side of First Order officers.”

”If Ren didn’t threaten me with being thrown out the airlock, I would have blasted you right there,” Hux said. “He seems attached to you, moreso than even the girl. It’s frankly nauseating.”

 _Yeah, so attached to me he tortured me_ , Poe thought sarcastically. Then, “So he does think of me!” Wryly, a hint of hurt underneath. 

”Yes, Dameron, and I frankly have no idea why.”

Of course Hux would say that. It didn’t hurt any less. “Just let us dock.”

***

Stepping out of the Falcon onto the _Steadfast,_ Poe looked around, at the First Order officers that seemed discontent at the Resistance’s very presence there. At Finn, who was stiff, rigid; Poe shot him a reassuring wink, and Finn smiled faintly. Poe wasn’t about to let his best friend have a panic attack right then and there. 

Rey also squeezed Finn’s hand, and Finn smiled at her. Poe wondered why Finn didn’t just say he loved her, though then again, did it really need saying? 

Like how he felt as Kylo approached. As Ben approached. Poe could already feel his fists tensing, his shoulders becoming rigid. How did he explain everything he needed to explain in so many minutes? How Ben had betrayed him? How Ben had harmed him? 

”Hello, General Dameron,” Kylo said. He looked Poe up and down; it was clear he was trying to take in the fact that Poe was here, with him. 

”Ben,” Poe said, despite himself, and he heard Rey’s suppressed gasp; it was clear she hadn’t been told this. 

”I thought we’d discuss the...details in private,” Kylo said. “My — General Organa does not deserve to know.”

***

”What is your problem?!”

The meeting room was thankfully not equipped with thin walls. At least, Poe could only infer that considering no one was running to them both. 

Poe continued. “She’s your mother! After you killed your own dad, I would think that you would at least give her some sort of apology!”

”Some mother she was,” Kylo said coldly. “Did she tell you that she knew about what Snoke and Palpatine were doing to her own child, and did nothing? She let them hurt me, and then has the absolute gall to be surprised when that ended badly. Not to mention how she used you as a replacement so she couldn’t own up to the fact that she was _useless_ against Snoke and Palpatine both.”

“What are you — that’s a lie.”

”Snoke showed me enough,” Kylo said. “I thought I could get her to love Ben Solo, but I saw. I saw the way she treated you. I saw everything. I felt her give up on me. I suppose I should thank Snoke for one thing. Letting me know that there was no way in any reality that is or was that she, or anyone, would think of me as anything other than _nothing_.”

Poe went rigid. He tried to think of everything Kylo had done. Instead, he thought of his childhood best friend, the love of his life, having to suffer with that idea for the majority of his life. 

Unwanted. Alone. Poe had known it before. Before Ben had dragged him back. 

He had to at least repay the favor. It didn’t mean what Kylo did was okay. It did mean that he had to at least do something. 

”Snoke lied,” he said. “About everything. Palpatine too.”

”I know what I saw,” Kylo said.

”Then it wasn’t what it looked like,” Poe said. “She missed you. She didn’t say it out loud. It was still there.” A beat. “At least know that I wouldn’t go along with this. I was looking for you. I wanted you to come back...even if your mother didn’t.”

Kylo sighed. He seemed like the energy had been sapped out of him — the wannabe-righteous anger draining from his face, his shoulders slumping. 

”I should hate you,” Poe said. “I can’t.”

”I couldn’t live with myself if you hated me.”

Kylo sounded so soft in that moment that Poe could believe it — even if he didn’t know why Kylo had tortured him. 

”So,” Poe said, and it didn’t mean everything was resolved and happy-sappy, but at least he could focus on their mission. “How do we defeat Palpatine?”

”The Sith wayfinder,” Kylo said. “I found it on Mustafar — it’s a long story.”

”I can see that.”

”Of course, we’re going to need to get another,” Kylo said. “For my...new allies.” He spoke like he couldn’t believe he was actually saying this. 

”Can’t we just all crowd on a ship and jump to lightspeed?”

”Well, we’d have to deal with the fleet,” Kylo said. “I’m certain even the _Steadfast_ has its limits. We’ll have to find another wayfinder for...that piece of junk.”

”You know that ship’s from your childhood?”

Kylo sighed. “That was years ago.”

”Whatever.” Poe fought back a prickle of irritation. "So I guess we’re going on an intergalactic road trip. Assuming we don’t kill each other.”

”That is a possibility I’ll consider.”

”So I guess we need each other,” Poe said. “For the time being.”

This was going to hurt. 


	2. Reckoning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Poe learns about Luke.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing.

It was Rey that provided the journals from Luke about Exegol. Kylo had to admit that he wasn’t particularly looking forward to actually digging more into the traitorous bastard’s mind. 

”Maybe he can tell us more about how to betray your nephew in a split second or less,” Kylo sneered. 

Rey sighed. “Can you put aside your anger with your uncle for one second, while we’re on the subject of seconds?”

”I don’t see what in this pile of drivel he could possibly have to teach us.”

”That’s unfair,” Rey said. “He says that there’s a clue on Pasaana that can lead us there, to the Sith wayfinder.”

"Fair enough.” Kylo sighed. “I suppose that that’s one thing he’s said that hasn’t been self-righteous absurdity only interested in making himself look good.”

Poe raised an eyebrow. “Are you that upset about him beating you at Crait?”

”I could live with that if that was it,” Kylo said. “But it isn’t.”

Silence. He could feel Rey’s concern over the bond, the sort of do-you-want-to-tell-him-or-should-I feeling. 

”My uncle,” Kylo said. “Tried to kill me. In my sleep. That was before the Academy burned down. I don’t know who started the fire — ”

“You said,” Rey said, “That you destroyed the Temple.”

”I good as did.”

(Fire. So much fire. A blast that might have come from above, or might have come from inside of him...)

”Wait,” Poe said. “He tried to kill you. Because of Snoke.”

Rey nodded. “He thought Snoke turned his heart,” she said, and it took all of Kylo’s restraint to wish that he could break Skywalker’s miserable neck. Could you break a Force Ghost’s neck? Kylo almost wanted to see if it was possible. 

Poe looked like he’d been stabbed. Maybe in a way, he had been. Then, “Why didn’t you go to me, Ben? I could have protected you.”

”You’re a good man,” Kylo said. “But even you couldn’t have.” Could Poe have possibly shielded him from the monsters?

”I could have tried,” Poe said. “For your sake.”

He looked broken. It struck Kylo that he felt something that he hadn’t felt when talking with Rey: he felt regret. With Rey, it felt like there was a creature coiled in his chest waiting to lash out. Like a serpent. But with Poe...it was like he lost the will to fight him. He hadn’t wanted to hurt Poe. He never had. 

Kylo sighed. “We'll have to work off Skywalker’s notes if we’re to find a way to Exegol. I hate to say this about this cretin, but he may be our only hope.”

”I could say the same thing about you,” Poe said. “Minus the cretin thing.”

Kylo almost wanted to smile. 

***

They were going to head out soon but first, Poe supposed that he had more than earned the right to start drinking heavily. The love of his life had tortured him, been forced to do it at that, which had been because Leia had done nothing to help her son and Luke had decided it was murder time. (Even though the complete hypocrite had no problem going, “Awwww, Vader’s a sad little bunny rabbit; how can I help him?”) Kriff...not that it justified what Kylo did, but did everyone in Kylo’s family simply not give a damn about him?

Then again, that was wrong. Enfys, Lando and Qi’ra did. Han did. (And somehow, Ben had killed Han. Why didn’t he save his anger for the people who had simply gone “who cares?” over his existence? It made no sense. Maybe being loved by Ben Solo meant you’d be doomed one way or another)

On second thought, Poe thought, he wasn’t about to drink heavily. He was going to confront Leia. If she could tell him off, he could tell her off. 

***

”You are such a hypocrite!” 

Poe faced Leia, glaring at her even as Leia said wryly, “Well, that’s a way to get to the point...”

”You said ‘my son is gone’. How can he be gone when you didn’t even try to protect him?” Poe said. 

”Bold of you to assume I didn’t.”

”It’s a good thing Kylo told me, or I still would have looked up to you. I was such an idiot to look up to you,” Poe said. “You knew Snoke was mentally raping him since he was a kid, and you didn’t care."

”How can you say I didn’t care?” Leia actually did sound quieter. Hurt, actually. 

“Because you didn’t kill Snoke or Palpatine when you had the chance! Kriff, if my mother knew what was happening, at least she would have killed either of them. And then you sent him away. Sent him to an uncle that nearly killed him. Did you know that was going to happen, Leia? Did you look forward to it?”

Leia actually looked like she’d been struck herself. “Why didn’t he tell me?”

”Because you probably would have told him he deserved it or...something...”

”You seem unable to decide whether I’m useless or evil,” Leia said. “There were many ways I failed Ben, but I didn’t hate him. I wouldn’t want him dead.”

”You sure as stang didn’t tell me about him being Kylo Ren!" A beat. “Leia...if my shot had hit him on Tuanul, in that village — would you have rejoiced?”

”No!” Leia sounded vehement. At least she wasn’t giving him a petty bitch slap for no reason. There was that. “How can you say that? I would have mourned his death. Stars, there were so many times I wished there was a third option. A way to hold him accountable for his crimes, definitely, but also to help him. A way to make up for the times I didn’t protect him. Stars, if you’d killed him, I would have mourned for you both — you for losing the man you loved, him for dying.”

It struck Poe in that moment that he was being cruel. Slowly, he nodded.

”And Snoke...he was clever. He even might have used...some of his techniques on me. Gaslighting, for example. I’d think something was in the room with me...and wonder if it was my imagination.”

”I had no idea,” Poe said. “I’m sorry.” And he really was sorry. In that moment, he knew he had acted like a lesser version of himself. Blaming a woman who was also a victim of Snoke’s abuse. It wasn’t who Poe Dameron was and he knew it. 

”I know you are. Poe...at least look at both sides of the story. I didn’t hate Ben. It’s a rare parent who hates their own child. And I wish Ben had told me about Luke. I would have trained him myself if I knew what Luke would nearly do to him.”

Poe nodded. “I believe you.” A beat. “I think Ben was angry with you...he just overlooked some details.”

”He did,” Leia said. “You should get ready to head out. All of us should.”

Poe couldn’t deny that. 


End file.
